Utah crash victim planning wedding proposal dies

LOGAN, Utah (AP) – A Utah man injured in a car crash while returning home with an engagement ring for his girlfriend died Sunday night.

The family of Adam Goodsell, 32, announced his death in a post on a Facebook page that had been used to update his condition. Goodsell died nine days after he suffered severe head injuries after his vehicle rolled near Wellsville, Utah, about 75 miles north of Salt Lake City.

“Adam has returned to his heavenly father and mother. Rest In Peace Adam! You will always be in our hearts. We love you and are grateful to have had you in our lives,” the post reads.

Family members have not responded to phone messages by The Associated Press.

The accident happened while Goodsell was returning to his home in Preston, Idaho, after purchasing an engagement ring for his girlfriend. Emergency crews found the ring in a puddle after the vehicle was towed.

Goodsell’s father gave the ring to the woman, Goldie Chaney, while Goodsell was hospitalized.

In a 911 call prior to the accident, Goodsell told a dispatcher that the brakes on his Land Rover had failed and the ignition pedal was stuck.

Emergency crews arrived to find the vehicle rolled into a ditch 50 yards from the edge of the road.

Utah Highway Patrol officials say the Land Rover was traveling at about 80 mph when it drove to the right side of the road, then veered to the left and hit a concrete barrier, then traveled right again and rolled off the highway.

Utah Highway Patrol Trooper Cory Thomas told The Logan Herald Journal after the accident that he found he’d seen a small gift bag inside the wrecked vehicle when he first went searching for insurance information. But by the time he was told there might be a diamond ring inside, a tow truck was already starting to pull the Land Rover from the ditch.

Thomas told emergency workers to keep an eye out for a pink or maroon bag scattered among the debris that spanned four travel lanes. Moments later, firefighters spotted the bag in the waters of the ditch.